In a move that could restore the past glory of Chaya Someshwara Swamy temple, the Department of Archaeology and Museums has decided to restore the temple’s lake.
Ahead of the Kakatiya festival to be celebrated in February this year, a host of Archaeology officials arrived at Panagal to take measurements of the lake to prepare estimates for the work.
Speaking to The Hindu , Deputy Director J. Vijay Kumar said that the Advisor to the Telangana government, G. Kishan Rao, had asked them to collect measurements of the lake and take stock of other restoration works to be taken up at the temple since the Telangana government almost finalised the organisation of the Kakatiya festival at Panagal.
The first prominent King of Kakatiya dynasty, Rudra Deva, the paternal uncle of Ganpathideva, had married Padmavathi, the daughter of Kanduru Chola king, Udayachodudu.
Udayachodudu had constructed Chaya and Patchala Someshwara Swamy temples, Udaya Samudram Tank and many others in Panagal area before the Kakatiyas took over the kingdom.
Since the Kakatiya kings had a close relationship with the Kanduru Cholas, Mr. Vijay Kumar said the State government had decided to organise a Kakatiya fest at Panagal too. The temple lake is almost in ruins because it has not been maintained since centuries.
The Archaeology Department plans to remove all the silt after pumping out water from the lake. Then, they will study the structure of the lake which will be restored to its original structure. Assistant Director, Engineering, P. Dasarath, said that they would use some new rocks if anything was found missing or broken in the structure. As locals were also saying that there was a mandapa in the heart of the lake, he said that they would restore the mandapa in case they found its remains underneath the lake after pumping out water.
Mr. Dasarath said that they would make seating arrangement around the lake for pilgrims besides constructing a pathway and restoring steps.
Meanwhile, the restoration work of the boundary wall of Chaya Someshwara Swamy temple is already on and the Archaeology Department has accepted the proposal to provide chemical treatment to temple walls to remove the fungus.
Apart from this, the department authorities are also thinking about clearing the soil gathered on the floor in the premises of the temple. Special officer A.H. Ranga Chary, assistant director B. Ramulu Nayak, temple chairman Gantla Ananta Reddy, consulting engineer Azeem Osman, technical assistant P. Nagaraju and others were present.
